


Heartstrings

by giraffewrites



Series: Drabble Challenge [19]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Drabble, Fluff, M/M, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-13 23:46:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17497607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giraffewrites/pseuds/giraffewrites
Summary: Based off prompt #33 “Why did we have to have kids?”Even though Billy may complain about life with kids from time to time, he’s never stopped loving them a day in his life.





	Heartstrings

**Author's Note:**

> For dalnimmoonlight on tumblr, thank you for the request! <3
> 
> This made me so broody to write, oh gosh. But I also really enjoyed writing it and now I want to write more about Billy and Steve as parents.

Billy lets out a groan, his frustration growing when he hears Steve chuckle outside the stall door. “This isn’t funny Steve,” he insists. He put his hands on the material around his waist and tries to tug it up, but just like the other times, it won’t shift. “Do you have scissors?” He ignores Steve’s laughing.

“We can’t cut it, it’s a rental.” Steve steps back as the stall door swings up, biting his bottom lip so he doesn’t laugh.

Billy glares at Steve. “The next time the fairy godmother cancels, you’re wearing a rental dress and you’re getting stuck in it.”

As it’s their youngest daughter’s, Emily’s, birthday, they’d hired a ‘fairy godmother’ to come and entertain her and her friends. Only when she cancelled last minute (and kept the deposit — Billy WILL be writing bad reviews online), they’d rented a costume out and hoped one of the moms at the party would fill in. Only Emily didn’t like that plan, and being the dramatic three year old she is, had demanded she wanted Billy to be the fairy godmother for her birthday.

Billy looks down at the dress, shakes his head. He looks back up at Steve, “Tell me again, why did we have to have kids?”

Steve chuckles. “Because,” he steps closer to rest his arms on Billy’s shoulders, smiling when his husband’s arms wrap around his waist, “we wanted a family.”

Billy hums, ducks his head down a little so his lips can press against Steve’s. “Suppose you’re right.” He presses another one to his Cupid’s bow. “We should get going, we’ve left our kids for more than five minutes God knows what havoc they’re creating.”

“They get that off you,” Steve insists, taking Billy’s hand and leading him out the bathroom.

Later that night, when the dress is finally off and thankfully intact (Billy didn’t want to lose another deposit), Billy and Steve sit down with their children on the couch, as they do every night. Ethan, the eldest of their children at seven, is sat on Steve’s lap alongside their middle child, Rebecca. Emily, as always, is curled up in Billy’s arms. Being the youngest in the household, she’s already half asleep, the ears of her rabbit pyjamas drooping over her face.

“We’ll have to be quiet, because Emily’s falling asleep,” Steve instructs Ethan and Rebecca, both of them nodding their heads vigorously to show they understand. “But Ethan, why don’t you start off. What’re two things you enjoyed about today?”

Billy watched as Ethan starts talking, a smile forming on his lips. When they’d adopted him, he’d been reserved and reluctant to speak at all. Now he’s the most talkative of the three and voices his opinions and ideas even at times when he shouldn’t. A sense of proudness spreads across Billy’s chest. “Those were good ones,” he tells him, reaching his hand out to accept Ethan’s high five. “And what was one was one thing you didn’t like about today?”

Ethan thinks about it, pursing his lips and tapping his finger against his chin. “Mmh...” he looks up at the ceiling, trying to think of one.

“Take your time,” Billy encourages. “How about we hear what Rebecca liked, and then we’ll come back to you?”

Ethan, on board with than plan, nods his head.

Rebecca takes a little longer to say what she liked about today. She’s more reserved than her siblings, and the stutter she has makes it harder for her to feel confident about talking. Nevertheless, her fathers encourage her and listen to everything she has to say.

By the time Ethan’s said what he didn’t like and Rebecca’s rejected the offer to say what she didn’t, Emily’s asleep in Billy’s arms and Steve doesn’t look far off himself.

“Toilet then bed,” Steve says quietly. He wraps his arms around both his children, standing up with them on a hip each.

They tuck Emily into bed first. Her room’s the closest to their own, which used to be Ethan’s until he wanted a bigger one. Both men press a kiss to her forehead, make sure the baby monitor is on and leave the door ajar.

Next they tuck Ethan in, ensuring him that having a nightlight isn’t childish and that their are grownups afraid of the dark (Steve being one of them).

Rebecca’s the last to be tucked in, but proves to be more difficult than her siblings.

“Nothing, and I mean nothing is going to get you in the night,” Steve promises, knelt at the side of her bed. He runs his hand over her head, heart clenching at her glistening eyes. He reaches into his pocket, “How about, I give you something to protect you?” He offers.

Intrigued, Rebecca nods her head.

Steve pulls a necklace from pocket out, the very one Billy had given to him years ago. “Now this,” he places it in the palm of Rebecca’s hand, “has kept me safe and happy for many years. And it’ll keep you safe tonight.”

“T-thanks dad,” Rebecca says quietly, hand clenching around the necklace.

“And if you’re still scared, we’re only down the hall,” Billy reminds her, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Rebecca nods, gets a hug off each her dad before finally settling down. Steve leaves her door ajar.

“I didn’t think you had that necklace anymore,” Billy admits when they’re back in their bedroom.

“Of course I do.” Steve pulls his top off, slips one of Billy’s older ones on. “I keep everything you’ve give me.”

Billy hums, stripping down to his boxers and climbing into bed alongside Steve. “Just didn’t think you’d be sappy enough to carry it everywhere.”

Steve glares at him, entwining their legs and pressing a kiss to Billy’s collarbone. “Shut up.”

When the morning comes, Billy’s woken by the sun streaming in through the curtains. He debates not opening his eyes and trying to get some more sleep, but decides against it. And when he sees the scene in front of him, he’s glad he made that decision.

All three of their children are now in bed with them, Ethan curled into one side of Steve and Rebecca the other. Emily’s curled into the side of Billy’s chest, one hand gripping her toy, the other patting his hair.

Steve’s half awake, Billy knowing from the way his chest rises and falls. He looks over at Billy and smiles, lets his eyes close.

It’s moments like this. It’s moments like this when Billy remembers exactly why they have children. It’s moment when they’re all adventuring, playing in the snow, having BBQs on the beach. It’s the bad times, when Rebecca’s upset, when Ethan’s reclusive, when Emily’s frustrated. It’s all the times. Billy treasures all the times and moments with his kids, with Steve. And _that’s_ why they decided to have kids. To be there for them always.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr giraffewrites.tumblr.com if you want :)
> 
> Request a drabble [here](https://giraffewrites.tumblr.com/post/181590015109/drabble-challenge)


End file.
